1965 Gibson Firebird Non-Reverse P90 Omar Kent Dykes COA

1965 Gibson Firebird Non-Reverse, serial 517476. From the personal collection of Texas blues artist Omar Kent Dykes.

This guitar's first owner was Austin roots and rockabilly legend Evan Johns of the LeRoi Brothers. Evan sold it to Omar, and over the years offered to buy it back more than once, Omar kept it. In his own words:

“You'd be hard-pressed to find a better slide guitar than this one. The P-90 pickups bring Elmore James back to life.”

Watch Omar tell the full story himself in the video above.

This is a genuine player's Firebird, not a wall-hanger. It has real, disclosed modifications made to keep it road-ready, not damage or neglect. First-owner documentation on a guitar like this is rare, most Firebirds this age have no verifiable chain of ownership at all, let alone a name as specific and checkable as Evan Johns of the LeRoi Brothers AND Omar Dykes of Omar and the Howlers

The Guitar

Mahogany body in the non-reverse Firebird shape, mahogany neck, rosewood fingerboard with trapezoid inlays. Original P-90 single-coil pickups. Modifications, all disclosed: the original slider switch has been replaced with a three-way toggle, and Grover tuners plus a Tune-O-Matic bridge with stopbar tailpiece have been installed, replacing the original banjo-style tuners and vibrola.

Fretboard conditioned, restrung with fresh 10s. Condition is fair/good, a genuine player's instrument. Please review all photographs carefully, they are part of the description.

Specifications

•Make / Model: Gibson Firebird Non-Reverse

•Year: 1965

•Serial Number: 517476

•Country of Origin: USA

•Body: Mahogany, non-reverse Firebird shape

•Neck: Mahogany

•Fretboard: Rosewood with trapezoid inlays

•Pickups: P-90 single coils (original)

•Switching: Three-way toggle (replaced original slider switch, disclosed)

•Bridge: Tune-O-Matic with stopbar tailpiece (installed, disclosed)

•Tuners: Grover (installed, replacing original banjo-style tuners, disclosed)

•Case: Generic gig bag included

•Weight: 7 lb 1 oz

Condition

Fair/good, genuine player condition. All modifications disclosed above, made for playability, not damage.

Provenance Included

•Certificate of Authenticity signed by Omar Kent Dykes

•1 recent photograph of Omar holding this specific guitar, provided for authentication purposes

•Omar tells the full story of this guitar himself in a video, watch it above

•Original ownership: Evan Johns of the LeRoi Brothers

•Serial number documentation: 517476

About Howlers Vault

This instrument is being offered directly from Omar Kent Dykes' personal collection through Howlers Vault, a project dedicated to preserving and placing significant instruments and memorabilia from Omar's career with collectors, fans, and musicians who appreciate Texas blues history.

All photography for this listing by Mojo Lens Photography, original guitar and live music photography.

Shipping

Ships fully insured with signature required. Buyer pays actual shipping, insurance, and applicable taxes. Howlers Vault does not profit from shipping charges.

This guitar's rosewood fingerboard is standard rosewood, fully exempt from CITES permitting requirements under Annotation 15 (effective 2019). No export or import permit is required. International buyers are responsible for any customs duties, import taxes, or fees assessed by their country.

Returns

All sales final. Exceptions made only for damage confirmed to have occurred in shipping. Damage claims must be reported within 48 hours of delivery with photos of both the item and the packaging. All shipments are insured, and any transit damage claim will be handled through the carrier/insurance process.